Saving Old Seagulls

G’day guys,

As many of you are probably already aware various small changes were made to Riptide outboard motors during both the Sheltrum and Wescott Hazel years. In an attempt to gain a better understand of the evolution, I thought I’d ask for your assistance in gathering (and deciphering) information.

In particular I would like to see as many images as possible of Riptide outboards together with their corresponding serial numbers and any comments you may have. If we can then establish exactly what those serial numbers mean (eg year of manufacture, build number etc), we should then be able to use the images to establish when and possibly why those changes were made.

The end result is that all of us will be better informed about Riptide outboard/s in our possession and that we will be adding to the ‘very limited’ documented history that exists for these great Australian vintage outboards.

To kick things off:

Riptide Sportsman - Serial Number 60 8020
Original colour scheme – Off white with yellow upper cowl
Repainted (presumably at factory) – Bronze/Gold



Note: Another in same Bronze/Gold paint with (and white & yellow underneath) donated by Barry J Sheltrum in 1983 to the Powerhouse Museum Sydney , link here: http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collect ... d948d537cf

I look forward to your participation.

Regards,

Picked up a fisherman for parts for my other. Only took me 7.5 years to find and as luck would have it, it was only a couple of K's away.

Engine number: FL 7857 2
A bit weathered but turns over. I need the handle. Looks like an Amal carb.

Congrats Hugo, saw that on eBay and was tempted (for parts) but freight made it prohibitive.

As requested by B, please provide a photo of the serial number. The L is unusual and does not fit with the standard format.

Thanks and regards
S

Okidoke: Left click pic.

What does that number mean to you guys? Which year? Found a slash and 8 is now a 2. FL7257/2

As per usual I think it is too good to break, so now I need another, blaaaah! Great compression.

Checked spark on one plug and nil. Did some research and found that on twin cylinder horizontally opposed, where the plugs fire simultaneously each plug lead joins opposite ends of the secondary coil so to test one must have one end shorted (or attached to plug) to gain a spark on the other. Yay, have an ohm resistance from lead to lead of about 500 ohm which validates this theory and magneto might be alive yet. Each plug is about 750 ohm to earth which makes a bit of sense to. So does the secondary coil have an earth point at centre of windings? Me thinks so but why does it not spark on one with one end open circuited?

Spiro, is it ok if I chatter away on this thread or shall I start a new one?

All good with me Hugo, chatter away

Thanks for posting image of your serial number. It is certainly a little different to the norm. As a matter of interest, how does the length of the drive tube on this one compare to your other? I wonder if the 'L' is to indicate long shaft or Long Range in case of an oversized fuel tank etc?

I'd forgotten about this thread so i'll put up the serial numbers I've collected when I get a chance. The lack of pictures to go with those serial numbers has meant that it has not been possible to link changes in the outboards to a serial number range.

Regards,
S

Same tank and length Spiro.

You have seen these before but will add here again anyway: So they did come with longshaft.

One more. Dec 1958 So the earlier ones had tank filler on starboard end and the later had the centre tank filler.

Thanks Hugo,

There were a number of different tank and tank bracket arrangements on the fisherman over the years. For example, the tank on my Fisherman serial F5624 has different tank ends to yours. Also the mounting brackets on mine are actually welded to the tank, hence it does not require mounting straps.





What I have all but confirmed to be true is that the outboards produced Riptide Outboard Motor Compny were prefixed with a letter that defined the model.

Boatman - not 100% sure yet
Fisherman - F prefix
Fisherman deluxe - I prefix
Sportsman - S prefix

After ownership had transferred to Westcott Hazell in '59, the serial number format was changed. WH riptide outboards were prefixed with the year of manufacture eg 59 xxxx, 60 xxxx 61 xxxx etc and there seems to be no recognisable link back to model, month and day of manufacture.

We also know that Sportsman outboards (at the very least) produced by WH also featured the WH manufacturers decal as follows:



Regards,
S

Thank you for the pic Hugo!

S, my Boatmans have serials like this.
Year / Serial?

I can not get to my other at the moment but I tend to remember that it was 60/xxxxxxx.

By the way, both have S.K.C. carbs.

Cheers

BnC[/color][/b]

Good work B,

I am yet to find a boatman that is coded otherwise, which may just mean all the ones I know of (5 or 6) are WH built.

The one that challenges what I know most is the Sea Scout. It makes sense that these were superseded the Fisherman and Fisherman Deluxe during the WH years, yet they are prefixed SS which is more the ROMC format.

SKC carbies featured on all riptide models including the Sportsman. Those fitted with Amal carbies are likely to have had a replacement fitted over the years. The SKC was essentially a copy of the Amal anyway.

Regards
S

B, above was written really late. To explain the situation better, all Boatman models for which I have serial number recorded are prefixed either 59 or 60 making them WH built outboards.

Regards,

I am embarrassed to say …………

Over the weekend I had reason to entered the shed of yet to be restored outboards, many of which have not been viewed since first purchased.

With some effort, I was able to get to the Riptide Boatman and the Riptide Fisherman Deluxe purchased from a retiring ollector in NSW more than 18 months ago now. Serial numbers as follows:

Boatman – B205
Fisherman Deluxe – F670/9

Both are clearly very early, and ‘restored?’ by the previous owner. The Boatman looks to be 100% complete and will just need to be torn down, thoroughly checked and repainted in original colors. Interesting to note is that the serial number is on the side of the crankcase, not on the front and below the carby which is more typical on the Riptide outboards.

The Fisherman Deluxe has had the recoil starter removed, a hole in the cut in the upper cowl and a pulley (rope sheave) fitted. The carry handle which sits atop the cowl has also been somewhat modified and will need to be corrected.

The upper cowl, carry handle and recoil on the Fisherman Deluxe are same as those on the Sportsman, hence I’ll be able to make good ie using the Sportsman as a guide to what needs doing.

OK, so we now know the prefix for the early Boatman is a B, but we have a total of 2 known Fisherman Deluxe outboards, one in Tasmania prefixed I and the one in my possession prefixed F. From 2 only, it’s not possible to say what the prefix should be!

Regards,
S

Jolly good. How many fisherman's have surfaced. I'm assuming they are the bread and butter of Riptide's. I've been thinking of the bottom end compressionn of a horizontally opposed twin and if you had a compression failure on one pot how it would affect another? Also how did they increase the deluxe hp up to 4hp from 2.5hp?

Prefer it if you could gently dismantle the motors rather than "to be torn down"

I better go down to the bowels of the building and bring up the other Fisherman.